Looking for shallow-footprint mini system

Bert Coules

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I'm looking for a mini system (amp, DAB tuner, maybe CD player) that can either sit on a five inch deep shelf or could be wall-mounted with a depth of about the same or less. Actually, it's only the main unit that needs to be that shallow: the speakers will be sited somewhere else where there's more space available.

This doesn't have to be anything like true (or even trueish) hifi quality, just decently listenable-to for casual background use. I don't need iPod docking, streaming or even USB connectivity. I do need auxiliary low-level input and separate speakers or at least the connections for them: I have existing speakers that could be used if necessary.

Does anyone have any recommendations? Many thanks.

Bert

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I think you are asking the near impossible. My advice, make the shelf deeper.

There are a lot of electronic crammed into a Micro/Mini amps, so while they have a small face, many are actually deeper than a common stereo component amp. A quick check of a good cross section of full featured Mini amps indicates they are all about 300mm or more deep.

This is especially complicated by the fact that you don't simply need an amp. The varioius T-Amps are very cheap, sound great, but they are amps only, no CD, no DAB, no AM/FM, no Internet or streaming, no Docking, just plain simple amps that are slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes.

Good luck, and perhaps others can be of more help. You might consider a Boom-Box as they tend to be tall rather than deep, though I'm not sure of anything that will functionally fit in 5 inches.

Sorry. But ... good luck.

Steve/bluewizard
 
It's an impossibility.

Look at a CD. Measure it. It's approx 5 inches across, and you want a unit built around it, that will sit on a 5 inch shelf....? Think about it. You need a CD drive around the CD whilst it plays. You cannot do this without adding extra depth.

"Cannae change the laws o' physics, Captain"
 
Steve, thanks for the reply and the advice; much appreciated. Unfortunately, increasing the depth of the shelf is not possible. I could rethink the whole thing and go for just an amp, but I would like at least DAB radio: as I said, CD playback is not essential. I wonder if there's a standalone radio which has an external input and outputs for separate speakers?

Formbypc, I was thinking in terms of a vertical CD drive. I've seen several such in the past, but they appear to be scarcer at the moment.

Bert

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I think you may have to look at a Portable Dab radio as its only those that i can think of that will have such a small footprint, but you will most likely have to make do with the built in speakers.

There is the Pure Evoke/Tempus which has 3.5 aux output for use with external speakers but those will be speakers that are used with computers or other active speakers. No CD player.

Pure Evoke-1S

another is this

ROBERTS SOUND 80 DAB/FM ALARM RADIO

ROBERTS SOUND 37 CD/DAB/FM ALARM RADIO . Has cd and headphone output which could be used with computer/active speakers
 
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Here are some examples of the small low powered "T"-Amps -

[ame=http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=shop&q=Topping+T+amp&oq=Topping+T+amp&gs_l=products-cc.3...2945.6463.0.6911.13.8.0.5.2.0.87.600.8.8.0...0.0...1ac.1.vVUfwHNoNGI]Topping T amp - Google Search[/ame]


The are lower cost brands -

[ame=http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&tbm=shop&q=Lepai+T+amp&oq=Lepai+T+amp&gs_l=products-cc.12...2779.2779.0.4147.1.1.0.0.0.0.58.58.1.1.0...0.0...1ac.2.CYdRG1q76-w]Lepai T amp - Google Search[/ame]


These are very minimalist amp with little to know extra feature, which means no radio of any kind. However, there are models that have USB inputs, which would hopefully allow you to connect a computer and listen to Internet Radio.

Other than something like to tabletop clock radios that DON DADDA suggested, I'm just not sure where to go.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Squeezebox touch (SBT) and mini T amp? Would have thought this would be a cracking system with a small footprint. You can (I think) rip CDs and put them in the SD slot of a SBT so you don't need a server running.
 
Thanks to everyone for the replies and suggestions. I found a few units which come close to what I'm after, including shallow-footprint single-box radio/CD players from Panasonic and Sony, but nothing that meets all the ideal criteria. I could cobble something together with separate boxes (using a T-amp to boost a headphone output to feed separate speakers for example) but that's starting to get a tad messier than I would like. I'll keep looking but maybe I shall have to rethink the whole idea.

Bert

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A fair few (semi-) portable systems have vertically mounted CD players, e.g.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-S...ceiver-speakers&ie=UTF8&qid=1362671886&sr=1-2
And you've probably found lots of similar but fancier Panasonic systems elsewhere

There's also
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Auna-MCD-82...eiver-speakers&ie=UTF8&qid=1362672030&sr=1-29

and

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Goodmans-Micro-System-Remote-Control/dp/B0048FGKM0/ref=pd_sim_sbs_recspk_3

An amazon search of compact hifi systems with the keyword wall brings up this list:

http://******/SDS2O
 
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Juggler, many thanks for going to that trouble. I'll take a look at all of those links.

Bert

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I have a Panasonic dc hc 35 db (I think). It's good although dab reception not a patch on our Pure radio. SQ is adequate for background in the kitchen.
 

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